| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Lafayette, Lincoln, Haystack, Liberty, Flume, NH |
|
 | Trails: |
Old Bridle Path, Franconia Ridge Trail, Liberty Spring Trail, Franconia Notch Bike Path |
|
 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, December 6, 2025 |
|
 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
A few cars at both Basin North and OBP trailhead at 7 AM |
|
 | Surface Conditions: |
Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow - Unpacked Powder, Snow - Drifts, Snow/Ice - Monorail (Stable), Snow/Ice - Postholes |
|
 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes, Light Traction |
|
 | Water Crossing Notes: |
All easy - not all entirely frozen over, but enough to bridge |
|
 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
|
|
 | Dog-Related Notes: |
|
|
 | Bugs: |
|
|
 | Lost and Found: |
|
|
|
|
|
 | Comments: |
Lafayette through Flume for a December grid, and the forecast looked decent: low clouds but rising winds later in the day. It was 13°F at the trailhead just after 7 a.m. The Bridle Path is pretty well packed and fast and can be done easily in spikes.
Visibility above the hut heading up the summit cone was pretty low and the trail is pretty windblown and drifted in places. It can be difficult to follow in places if you haven't been up there before, particularly where the trail goes around the "big boulder" at 5,000'
The ridge is currently a mix of bare rock and deep drifts, with a few exposed icy patches. Again, in low visibility, the trail was hard to follow in some places.
After Haystack, trail conditions turned messy as expected. Back in the trees there was deep, unbroken snow with lots of snow in the branches still. We broke trail until about half way between Haystack and Liberty when we met someone coming the other direction.
From the Liberty Spring junction onward, we were back on well-packed trail all the way out too Flume, and back down to the Basin.
|
|
 | Name: |
ges36 |
|
 | E-Mail: |
|
|
| Date Submitted: |
2025-12-07 |
|
 | Link: |
 https:// |
|
|
Disclaimer: Reports are not verified - conditions may vary. Use at own risk. Always be prepared when hiking. Observe all signs. Trail conditions reports are not substitutes for weather reports or common sense. |
|
